Sources and what is not confirmed

Official sources, status of the facts, open points.

Status: October 2026. Facts were checked against the official pages and statutes below in October 2026. Where sources conflict or we could not confirm a fact, the text says so in italics.

Main sources

• Federal Foreign Office: list of visa requirements
• Regulation (EU) 2018/1806 as amended, incl. Reg. 2023/850 (Kosovo)
• Regulation (EU) 2024/2495 (passports of the Coordination Directorate)
• EU: ETIAS
• European Commission: Entry/Exit System (EES)
• § 26 BeschV (Western Balkans rule)
• Federal Employment Agency: Western Balkans rule
• Federal Employment Agency: press release 2026-40
• Embassy Belgrade: Western Balkans rule
• Embassy Pristina: Western Balkans rule
• Embassy Pristina: legalisation
• Embassy Sarajevo: visa
• Embassy Tirana: visa
• HCCH: Apostille Convention, status table
• CIEC: Convention No. 16
• German Pension Insurance: social security agreements
• Family Benefits Office: leaflet KG 52-ju (07/2026)
• BiH Ministry of Civil Affairs: citizenship FAQ
• Statistical Office Berlin-Brandenburg: residents 31.12.2025
• anabin (KMK)
• uni-assist: country notes
• Recognition in Germany
• Make it in Germany
• Statutes: AufenthG, BeschV, AufenthV, VwGO (gesetze-im-internet.de)

Not confirmed or conflicting

• Whether the BA still suspends the priority check for the Western Balkans rule, and whether the quota of 50,000 changes from 2027.
• The start date of ETIAS.
• Visametric fee in Skopje; procedure in Podgorica; which visa channel each mission uses for each category.
• anabin and uni-assist rating of the school-leaving certificate (Matura) for each of the six states.
• Dual citizenship rules of Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro (possible loss), North Macedonia and Serbia; child benefit for children in Albania and North Macedonia.
• Triple Win and other placement programmes; practice under §§ 15a and 15d BeschV and § 17 AufenthG.
• Whether earlier tourist stays count against the Opportunity Card.
• Student health insurance rate, recognition fees of the State Examination Office, course prices.
• Apostille authorities in each state; acceptance of CIEC extracts; outdated remonstration text on the Sarajevo page.
• Advice in Berlin in BKS or Albanian; application deadlines of universities other than those named.

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